Ship-steering device



Dec. 2, 1930. c. F. SELZER SHIP STEERING DEVICE Filed July 50, 1928FIG-Q1 WITNESSES ATTORNEY Patented 2, 1 930 CLARENCE F. SELZEE, 01 NORTHMILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN sm-s'rnmne nnvrcn Application filed July 80,

This invention relates to ship steering devices. I An object of theinvention is to providemeans including displaceable wings arranged '6 atthe side of a vessel for permitting the execution of rapid turningmovements, especially in cases of emergency where danger of collision isimminent. Another object of the invention is. to pro 1 vide extensiblewings of such character as to be capable of 'forming retarding means fordecreasing the s ed of the vessel.

A further object ofthe invention is to so mount and displace the wingsas to avoid the 15 accumulation of obstructing objects between the wingsand the sides of the vessel.

A further object is to provide fluid-pressure-operated means foreffecting the displacement of the wings.

The inventionfurther consists in the several features hereinafter setforth and more particularly defined by the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a vessel equipped with thesteering means of this invention, one of the wings bein extended fromthe hull in a osition to e ect a turning movement of the ull;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the wing extended in such manner as toeffect the clearance of obstructing objects between the wing and thehull;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the wing on its closing movement;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing 'both the wings closed against thehull, and

F1g. 5 is a view showing both wings extended to form a means forreducing the speed of the vessel. In these drawings, the numeraldesignates a marine vessel, which may be either of the surface orsubmersible type. The vessel is provided with the usual rudder 11 at isalso arranged at the stern in front of 'the rudder in the usual manner.A pair of wings 13 are arranged at opposite sides of the vessel,

preferably near the stern. Each wing is arranged to fit closely againstthe ,SldG of the Vessel and may, if desired, be disposed to he itsstern, and a suitably driven propeller 12 1928. Serial a... 298,281.

flush with the sides of the vessel. Each wing 13 is supported nearopposite ends on rods 14 and 15, which, in the present instance, areshown to be the piston rods of double-actin fluld-pressure-operatedcylinders 16 and 1 65 respectively, arranged within the vessel inposition to effect the projection and retraction of the rods and thewings carried thereby. The piston rods 14 and areconnected to pistons 18arranged within the cylinders. Each forward rod 14 is provided with apivv otal mounting 19 on the forward portion of the wing, and therearwardrod 15 has a piv-' otal mounting 20 on the rearward portion ofthe wing. The forward pivotal mounting 19 is also arranged-to have asliding or other suitable connection with the wing morder to avoidbinding during the manipulation of the wing. The double-acting-cylinders16 and 17 are so controlled that the piston rods 14 and 15 on oppositesides of the vessel may be selectively projected or retracted.

When the vessel is to be turned sharply in order to avoid a collision,or for other rea-' sons, it is only necessary-to project the for- 'wardrod 14 at that side of the vessel towards which the vessel is to turn,as seen in Fig. 1. The projection of the rod then causes the wing toassume the outboard divergent position seen in Fig. 1, which imposes asubstantial drag at one side of-the vessel acting to sharply turn thevessel in the direction indicated by the arrow. -This turning movementmay, of course, be influenced partially by the action of the rudderll,but the rudder action alone is not suflici'ent to permit the 1 making ofa sharp turn. As, the wing is opening the projected forceof the waterthereon acts to urge the wing outwardly but. the movement of the wing isrestrained by suitably admitting fluid under pressure to the cylinder 16to provide a cushioning me dium behind the piston 18.

After the turn has been executed the wing 13 is withdrawn in thesequence of operations indicated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. First the rearwardpiston rod 15 is projected outwardly from the vessel to bring the wing13 in sub stantially parallel'relation to the side of the vessel,thereby permitting any obstructing objects which have entered the spacebetween the wing and the vessel to be discharged rearwardly from thewing. The forward p1s= ton rod 14 is then retracted, bringing the wingto the position shown in Fig. 3, in which the forward edge of the wingengages the side of the vessel. The rearward piston rod-15 is thenretracted, thus bringing the wing close against the side of the vessel,as

seen in Fig. 4. In this manner either wing can be brought close againstthe side of the vessel since there will be no obstructing objectspresent to prevent complete closing.

This method of manipulating the win also When the wings are to bewithdrawn they are simultaneously manipulated in the sequence ofoperations illustrated for one wing in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, and abovedescribed.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: j

1. The combination with a vessel, of a wing adapted to lie closelyadjacent the side of the vessel, and a pair of projectable membersdisposed one behind the other at the side of the vessel and each havingpivotal connections with said wing, the forward of said projectablemembers on its outward move-' ment from the side of the vessel swingingsaid wing outwardly about its rearward pivotal mounting to efi'ect aturning movement of the vessel, and the outward movement of saidrearward projectable member efiecting a spaced disposition of said wingwith respect to the side of the vessel to permit the passage ofobstructing objects between the wing and the side of the vessel wherebyto permit a close retraction of said wing adjacent the side of thevessel.

2. The combination with a vessel, of a wing disposed to lie closelyadjacent the side of the vessel, and a pair of independently operablemeans having pivotal connections with opposite end portions of said wingfor projecting said wing away from the side of the vessel, whereby toeffect a turning movement of the vessel, and to effect a retraction ofthe wing in a manner preventing accumulation of foreign objects betweenthe wing and the side of the vessel.

3. The combination with a yessel, of a wing adapted to lie closelyadjacent the side of a .vessel, a pair of projectable members disposedat the side of the. vessel and having pivotal connections with o positeendportions of said wing, and a uid-pressure-operated means for indeendently reciprocating each of said pro ectable members to manipulatesaid wing.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CLARENCE F. SELZEB.

